Surgical brace



March 23, 1948.

B. A. BUNYAR, .1R

SURGICAL BRACE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 6, 1945 {@@Jmm' MarCh 23, 1948. B, A BUNYAR, JR 2,438,144

SURGICAL BRACE Filed July 6, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 23, 1948 t.

' naar UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,438,144 v SURGICAL BRACE Benn A. Bunyar, Jr., Kansas City, Mo.

Application July 6, 1945, Serial No. 603,444

The present invention relates to surgical braces I and is particularly concerned with devices adapted for use in the treatment of the extensor and iiexor muscles which control the movements of the joints of the digits of the hand.

It has been demonstrated by experience that appropriate exercises for these muscles, such as systematic opening and closing of the hand, are highly beneficial in restoring full or partial use of the digits in cases where the muscles have been impaired through accident or other cause.

The primary object of the invention is to pro; vide a simple surgical brace which can be readily attached to the fore-arm and wrist to facilitate exercise of the muscles controlling movement of the joints of the digits, as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a surgical brace, for the purposes mentioned, of simpler and more compact construction than that of prior devices.

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanism which will cause no impairment of the use of the digits but, to the contrary, will facilitate the exercise called for in the treatment,

whether of the digits separatelyr or collectively 1 and will allow the digits to be exercised successively, or two or more at the same time, or some to be flexed while the others are extended.

In its simplest and barest aspects, the invention consists of a removable brace for the forearm and wrist which will, to a certain extent, immobilize them without, however, impairing free use of the flexor and extensor muscles of the joints of the digits of the hand and adjustable, elastic elements carried by the brace and adapted to be attached to the digits to facilitate exercise of the said muscles, l

With the foregoing objects and advantages in view, the invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the surgical brace in operative position.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a transverse section on line 3'3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the bracket that supports the fore-arm plate.

Figure 5 is a side elevation showing the elastic elements of the device rearranged for exercising the muscles of the digit joints.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the device as shown in Figure 5. v

Figure 7 is a detailview of the-hand rest, being a top plan thereof.

-Like numerals in the description and drawings designate the same parts of construction.

The brace proper comprises two rigid,v parallel side bars I, upturned at right angles at their forward extremities and there joined by two parallel, transverse bars 2 and 3 which are suitably spaced apart and provided with three vertical partitions It, dividing the interveningspace into four aperturesI adapted to maintainand suspend the hereinafter described elastic elements in separatere, lation. The side bars I are provided with elongated, longitudinally-disposed slots 5. Mounted between said bars is a rectangular spacer-bracket 6 havingV two upturned branches 1 provided with vertically-disposed, parallel slots 8 suitably spaced apart and adapted to receive the threaded bolts il which also pass through the longitudinal slots 5 in bars I. This construction permits vertical aswell as longitudinal adjustment of the spacerbracket and the latter is adapted to suitably space the side-bars apart and serve as a support and anchor for certain other elements of thesurgical brace. Attached to the underside of said bracket is a longitudinally-disposed plate II. It is adjustably secured thereto by means of threaded bolts passing through a longitudinal slot I2 in said plateand through the transversely-disposed slots I0 in the bottom vofsaid bracket. The' rear edge of the bracket is provided with short prongs or hooks I3 which are adapted to hold strap-ends `of the elastic elements. f

Between the said bracket and the suspension element formed by the transverse bars 2 and -3 is mounted an inverted U-shaped element I4 adapted to hold strap-ends of the. elastic ele--4 ments, hooks on element I4 being providedfor that purpose. The element I4 ts on the outside of the bars I and is provided with oppositelydisposed, rectangular pins I5 projecting from t-he inner faces of the arms of said element Vand adapted to engage with rectangular, vertical notches I6 in the upper edge of bars I, thus a1, lowing longitudinal adjustment of element I4 to regulate the tension on the elastic elements 2 4 The said prongs or hooks are located cnthe rear edge of the top transverse part of I4. A 1 L,

A longitudinally-disposed, ycurvilinear plate I'I is secured to the upper surface of the transverseportion of bracket 6 and is provided with padded wrist and fore-arm straps I8 and I9 adapted to secure the said plate to the fore-arm. Attached adjustably to the top surface of plate Il by threaded bolt 20a passing through aslot,

the top of the fingers when the hand is in posiy tion. The pivotal connections are located at tlie rear, upper corners of element 22, thus permitting it to swing downward at the front when the ngers are closed, as will be seenin thefa'rra'rigement of elastics shown in Figure-5.

Separate elastic strips or cords retractability, are attachedl to the bracetcfexercise the fingers and another elastic strip or '"ecrtt, of vsimilar construction, 4is,-fprovided `foi-"the thumb. The latter elastic elementiisideslgnated as 2-5e The lelastic `elements Yfor tthe vflitsers fare provided `with:perforatedfstraps A26 on theirrear nsyto engage the Vbucks onthe -shapedlpl'ate it -A'Ifh'ese finger elastic'sV pass 'forwardly Yfrom plate 14, through'the .apertures --inithe Vi'iptxirned parts-of said bars i, where they-vare suspended loosely ,on 'fthe lower cross-bar -3, land "thence itc thetips' of the: glove-fingers. `*llheyrfe'theirdou",- bied iback *along ythe upper surfaces -`of Vthe -said ngcrsiand loosely secured thereto vby iioopfasl teurs'-l. VThe ends Vof thereversedporticns Tor these elastic selements aref-then secured -to 24, fissate 4 Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire( to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A surgical brace for treatment of the flexor and eXtensor muscles of the digits of the hand comprising rigid, longitudinally-disposed, parallel side bars provided at their forward extremities with transverse, upturned portions adapted to serve as a suspension bridge to maintain the retractile feiements for the finger digits in separate relation, Y a curvilinear plate adjustably :mounted between said side bars and adapted to retain the fore-arm, Wrist and hand in proper position, a hand rest connected with said forefarm plate, retractile elements for the fingers adapted tobe's'u'spended on said transverse member-oftheframe Iand removably attached to the fingers, the rear ends of said retractile elements l bei'ngattached to the frame, a retractile element of ithegiove thumb and sat `itsrear-` extremity fito thearmplate H 'near Athe forwardfend `rif the latter. Anfelasticxstrap orcordfd is attachedto the upper, forwardcor'ner of. 'element v212 iand Iis provided on 'its :rear Send with ya. fperfcratedf'strap attachmentfadapted `to hook cm1-the rear'fedgeof bracket 6. The' elastic e cord 28 'is' adapted to ilmpart avdownward pull on thenger-padelement 22 and to-aid' in the Ting'erlerercisesV by providing a. 'couxiteracting Vforce' against the 'faction of Ithe 'xtnsor muscles.

'In operation, thehandrfis inserted 4vintheglovelike elment'and Vthe surgical. 'brace i is strapped nfthefcre-arml-a'nd wrist. lIf-theI-'exor-Arnuscles are to fbe exercised 'the lingers vand 'thumbi-are' bent as much andas ottenias prescribed.. `The elastic elements -24 and jit produce a counteracting '-'foree against `which the r-flexor muscies c made foi-right or left hand cr'thesame-brace canV be iused for both lha'n'ds *with obsim'is #rearrangement. while in'fthe embodiment 'oftiie invention heieshown, fit isadaptedt'o thaleft liand, ithe brace can be-changed -for risconti-1e hand by `substituting a -ri-glitlianti giove andifeversingthe-handrestc.

attached at one end to the curvilinear plate and removably vattachable Aat the other end tov the thumb, -ran *arched member mounted von said frameiandprovided with means for attach-ment of the Eforward yendsfof the Vretractile Velements for the fingers, means'f'orreguiating the tension onsame comprising Va plurality of vertical, rectangular -slot'sin the upperV edges of thejsaid bars of tli'e trame, rectangular pins projecting from the lnrier'vertic'al surfaces ofV said arched member 'and adapted to seat lin opposit'ely-disposed vertical/slots lin said bars, Vand'rneans for adjustirg the fore-arm plate Vinrelaticn ltothe sidebars 'ofthe frame. Y j i ifAfsurgical brace 'for treatment of lthe w'flesor and extens'or muscles of 'the dgtsof 'the hand comprising rigid, longitudinally-disposed, Yparallel side bars providedat their forward extremities with transverse, upturned portions adapted tosierveeas -a suspension bridge t'o maintain the retractile elements for the inger digits in separate relation, atransversely-disposed bracket adjustably connected to said side bars, a lon- Y Vpart of sa'dbracket, a curvilinear plate attached tctheuppersur'face of the bracket bottom Vand adapted toLretain the fore-arm, wrist'and hand inprope'r position, la plate Vadjustably secured to thelforward'endfof saidv longitudinal plate and adapted to serve as a hand rest, a glove-like elemerit attached to said hand restretractile elements for the fingers adapted to be suspended onisaidftransverse member of the 'frame and removably attachable tothe lingers, Vthe rear ends of said retractile elements being attached to the fra'rneja'retractile element attached at 'one end tolti-1e 'curvilinear plate and removably attachable at the other end to theA thumb, an arched member mounted on said frame and provided with 'means for attachment of the forwardends of the retractile elements for the fingers, means for regulating the Vtension on same comprising a plurality of vertical, rectangular slots in the upper edges of the said bars of the frame,l rectangular pinsprojecting from the inner vertical surfaces of said arched member and adapted tc seat inoppesitely-disposed vertical slots in said bars, and me'ans'for adjusting the fore-arm plate in relation to the side bars ofthe frame.

l'3.The device dened in claim Zanda pad pivotally connected to said frame and adapted 6 to bear on the top of the fingers during treat- UNITED STATES PATENTS ment of said muscles.

Number Name Date BENN A. BUNYAR, JR. 494,197 Hall Mar. 28, 1893 REFERENCES CITED 5 FOREIGN PATENTS Numbr Country Date The following references are of record in the 26,178 Great Britain Nov. 30, 1903 file of this patent: v 107,386 Great Britain No date 

